02Jan Daily Mass readings app launched

Smartphone users can now download an app with the Mass readings and homily material for each day of the year. It gives the biblical readings for each day’s Mass, and some thoughts for the homily. This material is by the ACP’s longtime homily contributor, Fr Pat Rogers cp, Mount Argus, Dublin 6W, Ireland. ~The know-how to build it into a user-friendly app comes from freelance webster, Gina Benavides.

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Hi there! Many thanks for the insert re. Daily Word app. Clearly I hope that some ACP readers will find it helpful. there are 2 points I want to reply to and one to add.

1. The daily input includes two small graphics, one of the Lectionary, the other of the young woman with the blue hat, who looks like an interested listener. I can easily change these graphics later, to whatever ones regular users might prefer. All they need do is send alternative graphics to info@together.ie.

2. The basic source details are on the app itself (i-button in the top-right corner). The homilies are mostly modified versions of ones that I’ve already put on the ACP website. Some are by myself; others are my edited version of homilies whose authors allowed me put them online for wider consumption. The technical know-how for app-building was provided by Gina Benavides, a very bright IT specialist from Venezuela. She is the girl in the blue hat.

3. I would warmly welcome suggestions as to how the content of this app can be improved; while keeping each day’s input fairly short, for quick download. It’s my first attempt to make an app. Clearly some days my “homily thoughts” will be better than others. Suppose somebody sends me a lively, relevant homily outline for say, 3rd March or 20th Feb., I’d gladly use it instead of what’s already there. And I’ll continue to put the Weekday and Sunday Homily Resources online at the ACP, my “base-camp”!

RosalineJanuary 6th, 2014 at 12:54 pm

Thank you to Patrick Rogers for the daily Readings and “homily thoughts.” They are very helpful. I do have a suggestion, however. Since most of us who participate in daily Mass do so in the mornings–sometimes early mornings, would it not make sense to publish the daily Readings etc. in the afternoon of the previous day? This would facilitate meditation on the Readings as a meaningful preparation for the Liturgy on the following morning. The Readings would still be up on the website for 24 hours and this small change should be easily possible–that is if other people would also like this adjustment..

TracyJanuary 8th, 2014 at 3:14 pm

You say “The homilies are mostly modified versions of ones that I’ve already put on the ACP website. Some are by myself; others are my edited version of homilies whose authors allowed me put them online for wider consumption. ”

Do you mind me asking are all the homilies by Catholic priests?

Also there should be an ABOUT page on the online website to transparently reveal who is behind the website, otherwise it looks dodgy and secretive. I suppose maybe you fear that if people know that it’s an ACP front man behind it then the vast majority will not be interested as they’d prefer a faithful son of the Church and not ones who resent Pope Benedict who did so much to get rid of the filth in the Church.

Yours, Tracy

Patrick RogersJanuary 14th, 2014 at 10:16 am

Rosaline, you ask is the material can be accessed in advance of the date to which it applies. Yes – both on the app and the ACP website. In both cases there’s a monthly calendar provided; simply click on the date whose readings you wish to read, and the material should appear.

Tracy, The Sunday homily material has been on my site http://www.biblical.ie for a couple of years now. About one-sixth of them are by me; the others are my edited versions of homilies by others (mainly but not all, priests) who have allowed me to make their material available in this way. The homilies for weekdays are either my edition of much longer homilies by my deceased friend and colleague Fr. Carroll Stuhlmueller cp or ones I’ve written myself, or drawn from papal or patristic homilies. There is nothing really sinister about their sources. If I show some preference for the leadership style of pope Francis over that of his predecessor pope Benedict, I trust that does not disqualify me from fidelity to the church. The leadership we are all to follow is that of Jesus, the Father and the Spirit of Truth.

RosalineJanuary 14th, 2014 at 11:37 am

Patrick, Thank you so much. I don’t know why I never noticed the monthly calendar of Readings before. Very helpful.

CatherineJanuary 14th, 2014 at 7:23 pm

Thank you, Fr. Rogers and Gina Benavides! Had to search for clarification, but all answered here. Yes, should be easier to find app source and development, but persistence is rewarded. Calendar appreciated, ease of use excellent. Figured the graphic was Ms Benavides, but agree with Shaun, a bit distracting – like a Twitter pic. IMO, brevity of homilies necessary for phone app. Thanks again.

Eddie FinneganJanuary 14th, 2014 at 9:50 pm

A big Thank You to Fr Pat for all the work you put into this section. Please keep the woman in the blue hat! Bienvenidos a Nuestra Senor(it)a venezolana, Gina Benavides. I have no idea what colour of bonnet Senora Tracy@2&5 wears, but it seems to be inhabited by her own personal demons masquerading as a hive of not-so-honeyed bees.

Patrick RogersJanuary 15th, 2014 at 5:14 pm

Thanks Catherine. – I agree that BREVITY is vital to the “homily/thought” on a phone app; normally either two paragraphs or three. It would be great if some ACP-site readers would send me samples of their own homiletic thoughts, for inclusion later in spring and summer. Send to info AT together.ie. – Regarding the “hearing” graphic (top right for each day’s input), I’m quite willing to change it, if you or somebody else send me samples of a better alternative. It’s quite easy to change, once I know what people might prefer. I think I’ll leave the “Lectionary” graphic in the top left corner. The combined effect of the graphics was meant to be a personal hearing of the Word which is read out in church.

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